On the subject of strikers... A question

Glad we've signed two new forwards. Is it just me or does anybody else think Watters looks a lot better this season. He's had decent games, against Man Utd in particular. He did lots of useful pressing and read the game well to be in the right place at the right time (and stayed on side - take note Cosgrove) to take his second goal in as many games and generally linked up well with the resurgent Barry Cotter.
Would you drop him when he might be on a bit of a goal run for one of the newbies??

 

I'm no Watters fan, but he's earned the right to a run in the team. Hopefully he kicks on and changes some minds about him.

 

Well got to be fair to him, if he carried on his current strike rate he'd end up around the same return as Cole last season. I do think he is better than what we have seen, but he has only been given mins here and there with no real continuity. As been mentioned, so far this season he has worked hard and notched a couple. It's as much about self confidence and belief as it is about ability. So yeah, it can only be good for competition amongst our forward line.

 

It's a clean slate from me for Watters this season. I think he has done okay these first few games. He's getting into scoring positions, he just needs to keep taking his chances. I keep saying it but you don't have to be great to score goals in this league, it's all about taking chances when they present themselves, because you will get opportunities against defenders in this league.

 

I suppose the question has answered itself as he was injured. Any news on the injury??

 

I’d still love us to go and get Ladapo now that he’s a free agent especially with our injuries

 

I would suggest our wage bill is already stretched to breaking point. He would be a huge risk at this juncture and the existing players and new ones should have plenty of motivation.

 

We don’t need strikers. They’re only in the team as decoys for Phillips and Pines

 

Haven’t we just got rid of all our highest earning players? I’d have thought we have more wriggle room than for a fair while.

 

And added 9 senior players (including 2 loan deals)

 

released an equal amount who would have been on championship level wages. Rather than L1 wages.

 

You make an assumption that the leavers were on bigger wages than those being offered to the new guys. I`d suggest the number of players that didn`t get to the tapes may suggest otherwise. Plus - every year we spend in L1 depletes our revenue.
The accounts next published may show I`m wrong but that would surprise me.

 

Yes is definitely say a player we paid a million plus for when we were on the Championship would be on good money. What I would say is that we need to clear out some fringe players. We have 6 or 7 players who aren’t good enough and won’t feature. That’s the big challenge for the next two windows and will free up some money and squad space and has to be the priority

 

Have you got a Time Machine mate?

 

My biggest disappointment in this window is that we've ended up with an imbalanced squad and failed to move on or loan out players that are earning decent wages but unlikely to get many minutes.

I have a feeling loans are still possible to the non league, though I don't think that's going to help reduce wages, or give quality game time to our fringes.

The numbers of midfielders we've got on our books is insane for a league 1 team.

 

Id say we need to be looking to move on 3 Centre halves & 3 midfielders. Plus a couple of younger players

 

I have no knowledge of this but would be surprised if one or two of the signings weren`t on the equivalent earnings of Kane but agree that a greater benefit would be to slim down the squad to cut costs.

 

Did we actually sign a striker? I thought Kellor-Dunn was an attacking midfielder and Humphrys a wide forward (winger) who could also play 'in the hole'. We've still just got Cosgrove and Watters who are both injured haven't we? And Marsh I suppose.

 

There’s an interview with Humphrys on X today where he says he plays best as a number 9 with a partner, but he’s also two footed and can play on either wing.
Keillor-Dunn is probably like Hignett in terms of where he plays. Not banking on him being as good as Higgy like.

 

If he's even vaguely as good as Higgy I can't wait to see him play.